Airship



E. A. OLIVER AIRSHIP Feb l7.1925. 1,526,927

Filed July 27, 1922. s Sheets-Sheet 1 IIVZENTOR WITNESSES .AOm/er,

A TTUHIVEVS Feb. 17. 1 925.

Filed July 27, 1922 E. A. OLIVER AIRSHIP WITNESSES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNg/ENTOR B. A. Ohver,

Affair/ Ers- Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

UNI-TED STATES EVER'DT A. OLIVER, OF HIGHLAND, MJISSOURI.

. AIBS Application filed. as; 27,

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Evnnr'r A. Onrvnn, a citizen of the United. States, and a resident of Richland, in the county of Pulaski and. State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Airships, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates in general to aeronautics, and more particularly to improvements in airships wherein a vacuum or vacuums are employed to produce the buoyancy orlifting. effect. p

The object of the invention is to provide anaeronautical apparatus of this character wherein the use of dangerous gases is ob: via ted andwherein the capacity and con trol of the air-ship is at all times com.- pletely at the will of the operator. 1

Another object is to provide an air ship of this character which is simple and yet of strong and durable construction and which is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and operate.

Other objects and advantages of the in, vention reside in certain novel features of the construction, combination and arrangement, of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and in which:

Figure l is a View in side elevation, illustrating one embodiment of the invention, parts being broken away for the sake of illustration Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing a modified form of the invention;

Figure 3 is a similar view, showing a still further modified form Figure 1 is a view in: transverse section, on lineel-- l of Figure 8, illustrating the gearing employed in this embodiment;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation, showing a still further modified form of the invention; and

Figure 6 is a view in section, illustrating the construction of the balloon or buoyant body shown in Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings wherein for the sake of illustration is shown the preferred embodiments of the invention and more particularly to Figure 1, the numeral 10 designates a cylindrical shell constructed of light weight yet strong and rig d metal or other suitable material. The cylindrical shell has integrally formed or suitably connected with 1922. eel-m1 No. 577,809.

its extremities pointed end pieces 11 which are preferably of conical form, as shown 1n the drawings. Imperforate partitions 12 are arranged within the, cylindrical body member adjacentthe ends thereof and define with the pointed ends 11 compartments 13 in which permanent vacuums are made to exist. The partitions 12 are welded or otherwise suitably secured to the cylindrical shell. A screw shaft 14 having oppositely disposed screws extends axially within the shell 10 between the partitions 12 and is suitably j ournaled for rotary movement, the screw shaft for the sake of illustration being shown in bearings provided in the partitions 10 but it is to be understood of course that other bearings may be provided therefor, if desired. Pistons 15 and 16 are ranged within the cylindrical shell 10 between the partition 12, and these pistons define with the partitions compartments 18 and. 19 in which vacuums may be produced at the will of the operator as will hereinafter more fully appear. The pistons 15 and 16 are centrally provided with threaded bearings or nut-s which threadedly engage with the oppositely disposed screws and screw shaft 1 1 and thus when the screw shaft 1 1 is turned the pistons 15 and 16 are moved in opposite directions, a guide rod 20 serving to constrain the pistons to rectilinear motion, the guide rod extending longitudinally of the cylindrical shell and eccentrically of the shaft 14: and through guide openings provided therefor in the pistons 15 and 16. Suitable packings carried by the periphery of the pistons15 and 1G coact with the inner periphery of the shell to seal the space between the pistons and the shell. 1

A car or cabin 21 is suspended from the buoyant body constituted by the shell 10 and its pointed ends 11, and in the car is arranged a suitable power plant 22. A drive shaft 23 is actuated from the power plant and carries a beveled pinion 24 meshing with a beveled gear 25 fixed to the screw shaft intermediate its ends. The drive shaft 23 is, adapted to transmit motion to the screw shaft to turn it in either direction so as to cause the pistons 15 and 16'to approach each other or to be moved away from each other.

Suction or vacuum pumps 26 and also carried in the car and driven from the power plant 22. The suction pump 26 com- 27 are municates by means of pipes 28 and 29 with one of the compartments 13 and the compartment 18 respectively, and the suction pump 27 communicates by pipes 30 and 31 with the other compartment 13 and the compartment 19., respectively.

In operation with this form of the invention, a permanent vacuum is preferably maintained in the compartments 13, this vacuum being produced by the suction pumps 26 and 27. The vacuum in the compartments 18 and 19 is under the complete control or will of the operator and may exist or may be dispensed with or the degree thereof may be varied as desired. The volume of the space in which the vacuum exists as well as the degree thereof may be controlled by the pistons 15 and 16, the position of which may be varied through the drive shaft 23, beveled gear 24 and 25 and screw shaft 14, it being understood that the con'ipartments 18 and 19 are defined by the partition 12 and the pistons 15 and 16 respectively, and of course the portion of the cylindrical shell 16 comprehended between the pistons and partitions. The vacuum in the compartments 18 and 19 may also be varied by the suction pumps 26 and 27 which also communicates with these compartments through the pipes 29 and 31, respectively. By moving the drive shaft so as to dispose the pistons close to the partitions 12, the size of the compartments 18 and 19 may be gradually diminished so as to ballast the airship, since air is freely admitted in the space between the pistons 15 and 16 through the opening 32.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 2, there is provided an inner cylindrical shell 35 having its ends closed by imperforate plates 36. An outer cylindrical shell 37 encompasses the innershell 35 and defines an annular space 38 which communicates with the conical spaces 39 defined by the conical ends 40 of the outer shell 37. Struts 41 and 42 are provided, and serve to maintain the shells in proper spaced relation with respect to each other. A short pipe 43 is arranged centrally of the shells and extends through the outer shell and the inner shell and the space between the shell as shown in the drawings.

A screw shaft 44 extends axially of the inner shell and is rotatably supported on suitable bearings shown for the sake of illustration as provided on the end plates 36, the screw shaft having oppositely disposed screws. Pistons 45 and 46 are also opera tively arranged within the inner shell and with the end plates 36 define compartments 47 and 48. The pistons 45 and 46 are adapted to be driven in an opposite direction from the screw shaft, and for this purpose they have associated therewith nuts 49 and 50 operatively engaged with the screws of the shaft 44 and connected with the pistons by means of stays 51 and 52, respectively. Suitable means may be provided for preventing the pistons 45 and 46 turning movement and constraining these pistons to rectilinear movement, such means for instance as shown in Figure 1. The screw shaft 44 is driven after the manner shown in Figure 1. The form of the invention shown in Figure 2 is substantially the same as that shown in Figure 1, except that the outer and inner shell is provided in order to vary the arrangement of' the compartments and that the pistons are connected in a slightly different manner with the screws of the screw shaft. The air-ship may be provided with a car, as shown in Figure 1 on which the power plant and suction pumps are disposed, the suction pumps being connected with the compartments by pipes as before. Thus a permanent vacuum is maintained in the spaces 38 and 39 and a vacuum may or may not be provided in the compartments 47 and 48 as desired. It is to be noted that when the pistons 45 and 46 are disposed adjacent the end plates 36 that the air-ship contains a large ballast of air since the space between the pistons 45 and 46 freely communicates with the atmosphere through the pipe 43.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 3 and 4, a slightly different form of balloon or buoyant body is provided and a different means for driving the pistons is proposed. In this form there is provided a cylindrical shell 55 with which rounded ends 56 are connected, imperforate partitions 57 being arranged between the rounded ends and the extremities of the cylindrical shell to define end compartments 58. In the compartments 58 permanent vacuums are preferably maintained. An envelope or casing 59 encompasses the shell 55 and if desired may be integrally formed with the ends 58. Struts 60 serve to maintain the casing in spaced relation with respect to the shell. The struts define between them a space 61 in which a permanent vacuum may also be provided if desired.

A drive shaft and guide rod 62 extends axially of the cylindrical shell 55 and is suitably journaled in bearings shown for the sake of illustration as being provided in the partition 56. A plurality of screw shafts 63 are rotatably mounted in the cylindrical shell and each have oppositely disposed screws. The screw shafts 63 are spaced radially from the drive shaft 62 and are arranged at regular spaced angular intervals with respect to each other, as clearly shown in Figure 4. Pistons 64 and 65 are fitted within the shell 55 and are each provided with a plurality of threaded bearings which operatively engage the screws of the shaft 63, the pistons being also provided with a central guide opening which slidably receives the shaft 62. Driving means is provided for the screw shaft and includes a drive shaft 66 extending radially of the buoyant body and through an opening defined by a short pipe 67 between the casing 59 and the shell and having fixed to its inner end a beveled pinion 68 which meshes with a beveled gear 69 mounted on the drive shaft 62 and having secured thereto or integrally formed therewith a master gear 70 which meshes with the three gear wheels 71, one such gear wheel being fixed to each shaft 63 whereby the screw shafts are all driven or turned in the same direction. It is obvious that when the screw shafts are turned the pistons are moved toward or away from each other depending upon the movement of the screw shafts and thus the vacuums in the spaces or compartments defined by the pistons or partitions are increased or diminished as desired.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 5 and 6 there is provided a buoyant body 75, from which a car 76 is suspended.

The buoyant body comprises an inner spherical shell 77 and an outer spherical shell 78 encompasses the inner shell 77 and defining therewith an enclosed space 7 9. In the enclosed space 79 a. permanent vacuum is pref erably maintained. ithin the shell 77 a variable vacuum or no vacuum at all may be had as desired, since the interior of this inner shell is connected by means of a. pipe 80 with a vacuum pump 81 provided in the car 76.

In all forms of the invention suitable propulsion means, such as are used on dirigible balloons and airplanes and also suitable controlling devices, such as are at present used, may also be employed, the controlling devices including of course horizontal and vertical rudders and controlling means therefor. The details of arrangement, constructio-n and mode of operation of the propulsiou means and controlling devices which may be employed form the subject-matter of various prior patents and are also so well known to those skilled in the art as to need no explanation beyond that here given. Of course in the forms of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4 suitable packing may be provided between the piston and the guide rods and between the pistons and the screw shafts and it is also to be understood that even in the compartments in which the vacuum is to some extent controlled by the pistons, suction pumps may also be employed such as shown in Figure 1, if found desirable. Again it is to be understood that the pipe 80 is suitably packed with respect to the upper shell to prevent leakage from the enclosed space 7 9 and that also suitable means may be provided for producing the vacuum in the space 79.

I claim:

1. In an air ship, a buoyant body including a shell, and means for producing a vacuum in portions of said shell including pistons in said shell, and means for operating said pistons.

2. In an air ship, a buoyant body including a cylindrical shell having pointed ends, partitions between the body of the shell and said pointed ends defining compartments in said pointed ends whereby permanent vacuums may be produced and means for producing vacuums at will within the body of said cylindrical shell and between said partitions and including a pair of pistons fitted in the body of said cylindrical shell, and means for operating said pistons including a shaft having oppositely disposed screws 0peratively engaged with the pistons, driving means for said screw shaft, and means for constraining said pistons to rectilinear movement.

3. In an air ship, a buoyant body including a cylindrical shell having pointed ends, partitions between the body of the shell and said pointed ends defining compartments in said pointed ends whereby permanent vacuums may be produced and means for producing vacuums at will within the body of said cylindrical shell and between said partitions and including a pair of pistons fitted in the body of said cylindrical shell, and means for operating said pistons.

4. In an air ship, an inner cylindrical shell having partitions closing its ends, the outer cylindrical shell encompassing the inner cylindrical shell and having pointed ends, the space between said shells constituting compartments in which a permanent vacuum may be produced, and means for producing a vacuum at will in said inner cylindrical shell comprising pistons fitted therein, and operating means for said pistons.

5. In an air ship, a buoyant body having a compartment in which a permanent vacuum is produced, said buoyant body also including a shell having walls closing the ends thereof, and means for producing vacuums at will within the shell including a pair of pistons fitted within the shell, and means for operating said pistons.

EVERTI A. OLIVER. 

